Labels: Run of the Mill
Review by: Andy Malcolm
This band has previous members of This Aint Vegas. A band I will never forgive for going on before Life at these Speeds in Southampton and playing FOR FUCKING HOURS. LaTS, who everyone realised, EXCEPT APPARENTLY THIS AIN’T VEGAS, had travelled to Europe from the West Coast Of The United States of America, were then left with a paltry 20 minutes. I was so angry that I wrote about it in some review several years later. OOOH. THIS AIN’T VEGAS, why I oughta…!
Anyways, here is a clean start, I won’t hold it against Coal Train until the next time they play FOR FUCKING HOURS supporting a band I am really desperate to see. I can’t even remember what TAV sounded like now, even though they played FOR FUCKING HOURS, so I can’t compare them with Coal Train. I do like their emo name, and that the music is a little emo too in places, although with a piano. They sort of remind me of the Chocolate Kiss here and there, but if that is an actual influence I’ll rescind all petty revenge comments above. The music is quite poppy, but with all these neat little inflections that take it off in different directions that you might otherwise not be expecting. “Building Dens” develops nicely over it’s duration, building (natch) up slowly but surely to louder moments with a touch of groove in there. It doesn’t sound too much like any other band in particular, but I get little hints here and there, a moment of Burning Airlines, a slice of Gang of Four. Actually you can tell these guys are getting on a bit, “Building Dens” appears to contain lyrics about having children. “I Bet On A Black Dog at the Tracks” has a bit of an American country rock flavour to it, muddled in with the indie influences. This works better than I would ever expect.
After a few listens, I have come to the conclusion that this is actually really good, but two tracks is not enough to get your teeth into. However, it serves the purpose, it intrigues and whets the appetite for a future album which I am very interested in hearing. This is fresh, blending modern sounds and old in a bright, exciting fashion. Good news all round I’d say!